Asia

The beautiful roof tiles at Bong Eun Sah Buddhist Temple in Seoul.

Originally built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest and greatest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces. Burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592, it was reconstructed in 1867. Today, the palace grounds, filled with lotus ponds,...

The upswept rooflines of Korean architecture are beguiling: intricate eaves are a symphony of patterned color...and every once in a while, a face pops out, like this scowling end-tile 'guardian'--a face only a roofer could love. I spent a couple...

Tucked away in the heart of downtown Seoul is the quaint Insadong district, where a Korea of yore comes to life in the form of traditional artists and musicians, shops selling Korean crafts and souvenirs, and street performers dressed in native...

A flagstone courtyard under a persimmon tree, lattice-doors under an upswept tile roof...on my last night in Seoul, I stayed in these traditional surroundings in the city's Bukchon neighborhood. Twenty million people live in the South Korean...

Covering 78 acres of hilly forest in the middle of Seoul, the Huweon, or "Rear Garden" of Changdeok-gung Palace is better known by the city's millions as Biweon, or "The Secret Garden." Once exclusively for the royal family, today it's a favorite...

All the walls of this traditional tea house were covered of messages written by the clients. My daughter left one to the lady as we were leaving.

You don't need to go to back alleys or historic markets (although those are great!) to sample traditional snacks in Korea; almost all the major boulevards in the center sprout mini-kitchens, set up on the sidewalk even across from chic...

The "Altar to Heaven," hidden away in what is now the garden of the Westin Chosun Hotel in central Seoul, was one of the Joseon Dynasty's last architectural expressions of independence. In the tumult of the end of the 19th and beginning of the...

In the middle of a metropolitan area of twenty million, Seoul's historic Bukchon neighborhood has kept a traditional village feel. "Hanok"—traditional courtyard houses, with upswept tile roofs and latticed sliding doors—line the hilly streets....

Chong-gye-cheon stream and park is a several-miles-long ribbon of pedestrian tranquility in the heart of Seoul. For decades, an elevated expressway ran through the heart of Seoul. The air pollution and congestion made people forget that a stream...

Amidst the almost hypnotic repetition of pattern and color, I spent an afternoon 'lost' in the colonnades of Changdeok-gung Palace. Focusing my vision on architecture in a historical context far removed from my everyday life--one of my favorite...

Dumplings are delicious. That's not much of a secret. But snacking on dumplings in one of the world's busiest and most atmospheric night markets? That's an entirely different experience. Namdaeumun Night Market, located smack dab in the heart of ...

Bukchon, the historic neighborhood between Gyeongbok-gung and Changdeok-gung palaces in the heart of Seoul, is the home of buk-chon son mandu, which translates as "handmade dumplings." Even though this is a Seoul chain restaurant, the namesake...

I happened upon this moment at a night market in Jaipur, India, which has some of the best shopping for beaded crafts, jewelry, ceramics, carpets and textiles. This jewelry stand in Johari Bazaar was crowded with women interested in the necklaces,...

I was in Shanghai for work, but decided to do a bit of exploring for soup dumplings. I came across this place via a local food blogger and decided to try it out. It was quite honestly, incredible. The place is pretty small, with only a handful of...

The sunrise at Borobudur is one of those magical experiences that makes us spend so much money on travel. The site of the smoking volcano on the horizon, combined with the brilliant hues and Buddhas on the summit of the temple mountain, make this...

Flowers and offering to the Gods are everywhere in Ubud, Bali - a peaceful, beautiful and simply lovely place. In Bali you cannot help but make local friends in Bali. The Balinese are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.

You won’t break the bank at Gwangjang, lively 100-year-old market in Seoul’s Jong-Ro. To get a taste of the countryside just like the locals do with all the hustle and bustle of a traditional market, try Jeon scallion pancakes, Yukhoe (Korean Beef...

If you want to get down to the authentic (and stylish) meal experience in Seoul, try the traditional Korean dishes – the ensemble called Hanjeongsik at Bukchon Hanok Village. The experience is lively, but classy, and it’s one of the best ways to...

Travelers looking for a rich cultural experience should book a room at a hanok, or traditional Korean home. One of the best, Rak Ko Jae, has fancy touches such as jade floors and a mud sauna. Guests can perform a tea ceremony and make their own...

On the surface, Korean cuisine is roughly defined as the meeting of rice and kimchi, yet at its core the culinary tapestry of South Korea is interwoven with richness and vibrant delicacy. Locals and visitors alike are simply spoilt for choices...

We had great fun at the night bazaar in Chiang Mai! There were so many things for sale, one of which was handmade soap like the ones here.

If you know me at all you know that I'm not much of a backpacker. Don't get me wrong - I love hiking, camping, trekking, and the outdoors more than most people. What I don't dig is sitting around ramshackle guesthouses with 20-something tourists...

On every trip, I try to ride my motorbike up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a beautiful temple on the top of the mountain just outside of town. The view of the Chiang Mai valley is breathtaking on a clear day. I go to the shrine in the back of the...

The great thing about visiting Chiang Mai during the Loi Krathong Festival is that there are things going on all over the city at all hours of the day - activities are not just confined to the lantern release near the river. Plenty of activity...

For anyone that enjoys the journey as well as the destination then whilst there is nothing fantastically remarkable about Wat Doi Suthep the 15km ride up the mountain really puts the cherry on the cake, a stunning piece of tarmac which snakes its...

I always forgot how much fun you can have with a Tripod at night. My mother, friend and I were staying at the Dara Dhevi Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Chiang Mai when I took this photograph. This was the most beautiful place I have ever seen, and...

The depth of things to explore in Chiang Mai were beyond what I was able to do within 6 weeks. Hardly venturing out of the 4 walls of the inner city, I road via motor bike just one hour on the outskirts to the most beautiful hidden cove where a...

Staircase inside of the second floor of the Erawan Museum in Bangkok, Thailand. The Erawan Museum is located in Samut Prakan Province (on the outskirts of Bangkok) and was built by Lek Viriyaphant, an eccentric Thai millionaire who was also...

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok's Yai district. It is situated on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple is one of the best known Thai landmarks. The mosaics which cover the temple create a pearly sheen during...

On the island of Kho Phi Phi, there is the usual town that greets you with bars, restaurant and easy-to-get lodging if you didn't plan ahead. However, if you are so inclined, on the far side of the island there is a veritable Smurf village that...

Maya Bay is no real secret - Leonardo DiCarprio's The Beach took care of that - but it is still one of the most naturally stunning places on earth. The old Thai longboats that settle in on the beach help add to the atmosphere too. As far as pure...

Sunset over a few of the thousands of temples dotting the plains of Bagan, Myanmar. I took this with a telephoto (300mm) from the top of Shwe San Daw temple (if memory serves)--absolutely stunning view of the unforgettable Bagan sunset.

Wat Phnom the eponym of Phnom Penh, Cambodia (in English: "Temple of the Mountains" or "Mountain Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple in the heart of the city. It was built in 1373, and stands on a mountain a whole 88.5 feet above the ground. Actually it...

It’s hard to comprehend the sheer will that went into building the temples of Bagan over a 200-year period starting in the 11th century. Bagan is the apex of the Myanmar temple aesthetic that values quantity—without forsaking quality—which can...

The old Chinese market, its shop houses painted in bright colors, is one of Bangkok’s most beautiful and fun. As you wander, let your eyes search for crowded noodle stalls, try the famous sweets, or browse stands selling fresh vegetables and...

I come often to this wat, also known as the Marble Temple. It was built by King Rama V in 1899. It’s one of the loveliest in the city, but it’s less crowded with tourists than wats farther south in Bangkok. —Tanongsak “Dtong” Yordwai Near corner...

Koh Kret is a small island just outside of Bangkok located in the Chao Phraya River. A taxi (about an hour from Silom) will take you to the boat where it is literally a 2 minute boat ride across the river. Koh Kret is a community of Mon people and...

Arguably Thailand's most famous dish, this hot and sour soup is packed with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. The healthy version, tom yum gung nam sai, comes without coconut cream. The more indulgent one...

Essentially just braised pork served with rice, kao ka moo transcends its prosaic nature by dint of it sheer deliciousness. A pig is boiled for hours in a sweet soy sauce base and the result is an alchemy of juicy, fatty, unctuousness. To locate...

One of Thailand's great lunch dishes, this Chinese-influenced concoction of wide rice noodles wok-fried with garlic, meat and broccoli and dark soy sauce offers tasty ballast for the rest of the day. A scrambled egg adds a dash of extra protein...

So inseparable is pad Thai to westerners' notion of Thai cuisine that it surprising that it only sprang to widespread popularity in the 1940s when it was promoted by the country's then government as its nominal national dish. Whatever its history,...

Every weekday, Chak Phet Road unfolds into a psychedelic kaleidoscope of saturated colors and heady aromas. At the Flower Market, dealers from all over Thailand sell orchids, roses, lotus blossoms, and marigold garlands wholesale to the florists,...

Chatuchak, more affectionately known as JJ Market, is now the largest market in Thailand. Originally it was a flea market started in the 1950's by a former prime minister who wanted to put a flea market into every town in Thailand. At Chatuchak,...